The Huang Effect
by DetonatorSunshine
Summary: Carisi thinks it's a little strange that he wants Barba's job and his boyfriend but everything about Manhattan SVU is strange. Rafael/George.
1. Carisi

"Prepare yourself," Fin grunts, pressing the right floor to Barba's apartment. The elevator groans upward while Carisi looks on in confusion. He's new, he gets it. But prepare yourself? For what?

Disturbing Barba at his home _is_ a rare conundrum mostly because it seems the attorney is never there. Carisi expects him to answer the door with a biting remark and maybe a sigh but not much else.

"For what?" he asks finally as Fin lands three hard raps on the door. "I mean he can be an asshole sure but it's for the case and –

Oh. _Oh._

A man who certainly isn't Barba is standing in the doorway. Clad in a pair of sweats and a snug white T-shirt. His lips a starlet pink, his beautiful face framed by messy black bangs, rounded cheeks. He appears to be very young and freshly awake. He looks up at Carisi from under a thicket of lashes and asks, his voice like a calm wave,

"Can I help you?"

Carisi staves off a blush, wondering why his voice is suddenly rushed and shrill.

"I, uh, we're detectives," and fumbles around for his badge.

"I figured," the angelic man says with a small smile, "Nice to see you again Fin."

"Always a pleasure doc," Fin says, and there's something remarkably genuine about the timbre of his voice that has Carisi feeling even more off kilter than usual.

"I guess this is about your case?" He doesn't wait for an answer, simply opens the door wider and lets them inside.

It's much of what Carisi expected. Ultramodern, stainless steel appliances, dark woods, neutral or earthy paints.

"I'll see if I can rouse him," he says around the edges of a yawn and disappears down the hallway.

"Who is that?" Carisi demands as he and Fin stand somewhat awkwardly in Barba's living room.

Fin makes himself at home, sitting on the barstool at the counter in the kitchen, looking like owned the place. He looks the younger man over as he follows suit, a knowing amused smirk dotting his lips before answering.

"George Huang. Criminal profiler and psychiatrist for the FBI."

"FBI?" Carisi says disbelievingly. He seems too gentle for such work. Too…well… _nice._ And attractive, he mentally adds, too damn attractive to do anything other than be stared at and cared for and –

"Wait," Carisi says, and shakes his head. "What is he doing here?"

Fin gives him a look that could make Einstein feel like an idiot. _Oh._

"He'll be out in a minute," George announces as he reenters, running a hand through his hair. He joins them in the kitchen and looks them over. "Can I get you anything? Water? Coffee?"

"Coffee would be great doc," Fin says as Carisi seems to have lost the ability to speak.

George busies himself reaching into cupboards, unearthing coffee grounds, sugar, creamer. He fills the overused coffee maker with water, flicks it on. All done so calmly, so efficiently. He whistles under his breath as he reaches in the dishwasher for clean coffee cups.

Carisi tries in vain to _not_ stare at his ass and only half-succeeds. The doctor's head pops up and the detective pretends to find a painting on the wall very interesting and requiring his full attention.

"How is Ken?" He hears the doctor ask Fin and instead of getting defensive, the older man simply smiles.

"He's good. He got engaged."

"I heard," The doctor says smiling as well, and pouring coffee in a cup. "His fiancée and I have mutual friends. I'm sorry about what happened to him," and he slides the coffee cup across the table.

"Yeah, me too," Fin says wearily before taking a sip. "We caught the bastards though. And if they can survive that together, they can survive anything."

George nods, looking at him compassionately, before pouring another mug.

"I'm sorry," he says, and turns his brown doe eyes to Carisi who is still determined to not meet his eyes. "I realized I never asked for your name."

"This here is Dominick Carisi," Fin says, "he's replacing Amaro for a bit."

"Ah you're the one that wants to be an attorney," George says and the detective can only nod. "Well it's nice to meet you. Would you like sugar? Cream?"

"Black is fine, thank you," he says, gaze cast downward before he looks up and sees the mug outstretched in the doctor's hand, his face one of expectancy.

It takes a full 5 seconds of absolute silence for him to realize the doctor is extending the cup to _him.\_

He reaches for it, their hands touch, "be careful it's hot," Carisi eyes his lips, and the ceramic mug shatters as it hits the floor.

Of course, Barba comes in at the exact moment. He's still in his suit which further leads Carisi to believe the attorney lives off nothing but coffee and subpoenas and dry wit.

Barba looks at them, eyeing the spilled coffee and shards of ceramic and then the inexperienced detective as if he just _knew._ But Dominick doesn't notice. He's already spitting out apologies and reaching for paper towels.

"It's alright Dominick," George says, and wow no one has ever said his name like _that_ before _,_ "accidents happen. I'll clean it up don't worry." And his nimble fingers scoop up the large smithereens of the coffee mug and toss them in the trash before he mops up the spilled chicory with paper towels.

"I assume you came here for something other than destroying my dishes?" Barba drawls.

"It was an accident Rafi," George says, rinsing his hands in the sink. They share a look of shared silent dialogue. George smirks. Rafael's lips twitch.

"Yes querida but if Carisi can't even hold a cup without dropping it, that doesn't make me very confident in his detective skills."

Fin chuckles, the bastard. "We need a warrant." And he goes into the details, the suspect, the probable cause, all the little justifications for doing the job and Barba just stands there and nods, looking between Fin and Carisi until the talking has ceased.

He glances at his watch and tuts. "You do realize even the most liberal judges are asleep at this hour correct?" He isn't really seeking an answer and they don't give him one. "I'll make some calls. You'll have your warrant by dawn. "

"It was nice seeing you again Fin. Nice Meeting you Dominick," George says and Fin nods his goodbye and Carisi wants to say he doesn't really like his first name but he does like it the way George says it but of course he can't say that either. So he says nothing. Just follows Fin out the door and into the hall where he can breathe again.

The elevator doors open. They both step inside, Carisi leaning against the wall nearly panting.

"What just happened?" He asks the open air, running a hand over his face.

"You just got Huang'd," Fin says smugly and presses the button to the lobby with a shrug, "happens to everyone. You should've seen Amaro the first time they met."

The doors close and they begin their dissent in silence.

Carisi thinks it's a little strange that he wants Barba's job _and_ his boyfriend but everything about Manhattan SVU is strange. He just adds it to the list and prays Barba never finds out.


	2. Amaro

If anything it's a friend crush. He listens. He cares. There's always compassion in the pools of his brown eyes, always a knowing smile dotting his lips. Amaro used to find the doctor insufferable, unconformable with the notion of opening himself up to another person, let alone a colleague. But Huang has gradually and patiently gained his trust for which Nick is grateful.

So yes it's a friend crush. That's why he feels a certain fluttering in his chest when the doctor walks into the squad room. That's why he always offers him the bad coffee they all seem to live off of. That's why his cheeks enflame whenever Huang calls him _Nicolas._

He wants to be his _friend._ At least, that's what Nick tells himself outside the court room during a quick recess as George Huang exits the elevator.

He's holding his notes, a coffee cup, his tie hanging untied around his neck. He looks tired and late, his hair slightly messy in a way Nick would never admit is cute. And okay maybe the doctor does looks damn good in a suit but any straight guy would notice that. Right?

"Hey doc," Amaro calls at the quickly walking man. "In a hurry?"

Huang stops in front of him slightly panting with a small self-conscious smile. "I overslept as a matter of fact. I'm due to testify in fifteen minutes."

"Well we're in recess so you have a minute to catch your breath." He smiles and looks him over, gesturing to the other man's tie. "Need a hand?"

And if anything, George Huang expects for Nick to take his coffee cup or his files. But Nick steps closer, pulling the two ends of his tie into his hands. The Hispanic detective is silent, a concentrated frown on his face as he tries to complete a double Windsor knot.

Huang feels his face go hot as he stands there in the otherwise desolate corridor during the decidedly intimate exchange. He's confused and perhaps a bit embarrassed. Did the detective think he couldn't tie his own tie?

Of course Barba slips through the courtroom doors as this happens. He's looking for the doctor. He finds him at the end of the corridor, standing still with a curious look as Amaro clumsily manipulates the fabric, inadvertently pulling the doctor closer as he does so.

The tie is nice, soft and expensive looking, deep burgundy with navy blue sailboats. One of the more whimsical ties Amaro's seen the normally subdued doctor wear. He's just about to comment when –

"And here I was wondering what caused the delay," Barba drawls, looking between the two men.

"I was uh just," Nick brakes off in a self-conscious laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. "His tie was uh…he needed help."

"Yes, thank you Nicolas," George says, flashing him a brilliant smile. "I should go prep my testimony. Gentleman."

They both watch him walk away from them. Just before he opens the court room door, Nick yells,

"Nice tie by the way!" and a few people suddenly milling about turn and stare at him but he decides it's worth it for the last flash of grin Huang gives him before the doors close.

Then there's silence, the two men standing side by side not saying a thing.

"Taking a hands on approach with witnesses?" Barba questions, a small smirk on his face.

Nick shrugs and tries not to come off defensive. "He needed help so I helped him. Is that a crime counselor?"

"Oh if only we could be convicted of intent," Barba replies, "the word crime would have a much different definition detective."

Intent? _His_ intent? He considers it without necessarily wanting to. Sure he liked the guy but that didn't mean he _liked_ the guy. Certainly not. He just wants to help him and protect him and talk to him and –

"Well, either way thank you for the compliment," Barba says, breaking him from his reverie before walking away, most likely to grab another cup of coffee before the end of the recess.

"I didn't compliment you," Nick calls after him, an annoyed look on his face, his hands on his hips.

"I could have sworn you said you liked my tie," the attorney replies, not bothering to turn around before disappearing around a corner.

"What?" Nick says aloud to himself. Then, _Oh._ _Oh shit._

"Something wrong?"

He visibly jumps a good foot in the air and turns to see Olivia looking at him with a confused if amused grin.

"Woah, Nick. Where's the fire?" she asks, her brow knitted in confusion.

And for a second he considers telling her that he may have somewhat inadvertently flirted Barba's possible boyfriend.

"Nothing," he says instead, shaking his head.

"Alright," she replies, not seeming to believe him but letting it drop. "Well we better get back in there."

He nods and follows her back inside the court room. Barba is somehow already there, the doctor in the process of getting sworn in.

They take their seats. Nick watches the doctor place his hand on the bible and promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Nick prays no one ever gets him under oath and asks him his feelings for the doctor. He simply doesn't know.

And that, he thinks, watching Barba question the doctor, sounds like an admission within itself.


End file.
